Composition for treating products of fiber and method of making same



. Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. FELIX, OF HATFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

comrosrrronron TREATING raonuc'rs or FIBER AND METHOD or MAKING SAME.

No Drawing.

My invention relates to compositions suitable for the treatment of paperproducts or paper stock for the purpose of stifl'emng and rendering the same'fire-proof; and also for the purpose of treating both cotton and woolen fabrics for the purpose of rendering the same fire-proof.

It is desireable that pies and the like may be baked upon pie plates of cellulosic material such as ordinary paper pulp, but it has not heretofore been practical to do so because of the incapacity of plates formed and consisting of such material to withstand the temperature required for the baking of pies and the like. 1

It is also desirable that fabrics, such as cotton, woolen and the like, adapted for certain.,uses, such for example as curtains and the like, should be rendered fire-proof,

but thus far, so far as I am aware, no practical means has been found by which this result might be obtained.

The general object, therefore, of my nvention is to provide a composition which 1s adapted to be employed for the treatment of products of the character indicated for rendering the same fire-proof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel composition which is adapted particularly for the treatment of sheets of cellulosic or other like material for the purose of stiffening and rendering the same e-proof.

It is another object of the inventlon to provide a composition consisting of ingredients which cooperate in such manner that the composition remains and continues as a liquid during the process of using the same at the temperature necessary to the successful mployment thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or Wlll be apparent from said descr ption. In describing the invention in deta l I shall refer first to the specific composition which have found to be best adapted for use n the 1 treatment of sheet cellulosic material made from ordinary paper pulp. This material may consist either of pulp produced from wood of finer grades, or pulp produced from rags and the like. Preferably, the best grade of pulp should be emplo ed whether it be produced from wood or om rags In the production of a compos t on embodying my invention which is adapted for Application filed much 6, i925. Serial-N0. 18,486.

the treatment of sheet material of the character indicated I heat about two gallons of water to a temperature of from one hundred and eighty to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit and add thereto seventy-two grams of sodium c'arbonate'and stir or otherwise agitate the same for about five minutes to cause the carbonate to thoroughly and completely dissolve. The temperature of the solution at the end of such period of five minutes probably would be about one hundred and sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Into the solution thus formed one quart of sodiumsilicate at forty degrees Baum is then introduced slowly, preferably in a small stream. Simultaneously with the introduction of the sodium silicate into the solution of sodium carbonate and water the mass is stirred and such stirring is continued until the solution becomes clear, Thereafter forty-six grams of tungstate of soda is introduced slowly into the composition or solution thus formed. The tungstate of soda is in the form of a powder and is sprinkled into the said solution and the mass is stirred for from five to ten minutes until the said tungstate of soda is completely dissolved at which time the mass or composition should be clear. It should be understood that if a larger volume of the mass or composition is desired the quantities of Water and the various ingredients or substances added thereto should be increased to the extent necessary to produce the quantity of the composition desired.

In the use of the composition which is in liquid form it is placed in a tank and maintained at a temperature of about one hundred and ninety degrees Fahrenheit. The web of paper is then caused, to travel through the said tank and each portion thereof is held submerged within the composition in the tank for about twenty seconds. Any suit able known mechanism for causing the web of paper to travel through the tank may be employed. Said treatment not only results in stiffening the sheet, but also in rendering the same fire-proof. After the paper in the form ofa web and of a thickness suitable for the manufacture of pie plates, kitchen utensils and plates of other character has been subjected to the action of the composition portions are cut or stamped'therefrom and molded to the shape desired. Instead of treating the material in the form of a web the articles such as pie plates and the like may be previously formed and treated,

to treat the material in the form of a'web are added slowly.

and thereafter stamp out portions thereof and press or mold the same to the shape desired.

The composition as above described is not entirely suitable for the treatment of fabrics of the character already indicated for rendering the same fire-proof because it renders them too stiff for satisfactory use.

I have however, provided a composition slightly different from that above described which is well adapted for the treatment of fabrics of the character of those already indicated to render the same fire-proof Without, however, stiffening them to such an extent as to make them unsuitable for the uses to which such fabrics are usually put. In the makin of the composition now under 'consideration I-first heat about two gallons of water to a temperature of from one hundred and eighty to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit and add thereto about fourteen and twotenths grams of boric acid which is completely dissolved in the water. By the time that such solutionis formed the temperature of the water has probably fallen to about one hundred and sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Thereafter one hundred and fifty cubic centimeters of sodium silicate at forty degrees Baum are added in the form of a small stream. v Simultaneously with the' adxlition of the sodium silicate the-solution of water and boric acid is stirred and such stirring is continued until the solution becomes entirely clear. To the solution thus formed forty-six grams of tungstate of soda The tungstate of soda is sprinkled into or onto the said solution and the'whole mass stirred for from five to ten minutes until the tungstate of soda is completely dissolved and until the mass or composition becomes entirel clear. The compound formed of the mgredients in substantially the quantities and proportions as last described is suitable for the treatment ployed for treatment of sheets of cellulosic material not only renders the same fire-proof but also stiifens the same to such an extent that they are well adapted for use in the plates and other -'It will be understood that the quantities and the proportions of the-various ingredients employed in the manufacture of the compositions above described may be varied within practical limits without departing from the spirit and the scope of my invention. In other words, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact proportions and quantities of ingredients as hereinabove set forth. l

WVhen any one of the compositions is being employed for the treatment of products of the character indicated it is neces-- ary that it shall be and remain in liquid form at the, temperature, one hundred and ninety degrees Fahrenheit, at Which it is employed and during the period of its employment or use. In the first of the compositions described the sodium carbonate operates to prevent gelatinization during use while in the case of the other compositions mentioned the boric acid 'acts to prevent gelatinizationof the compositions. Accordingly, therefore, I regard each ofthese- 0 9!) ingredients as a stabilizin agent because if they were not present in t e composition as described, each of the compositions in use would be converted into a gelatinous mass.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided compositions by the employment of which in the treatment of products of the character indicated such products may be fundamentally altered whereby they possess certain attributes of very great value which ordinarily and generally are foreign thereto. .7

By the employment of the first composition described to treat paper products to render the same satisfactory for use in the manufacture of pie plates and the like such plates and'the like may be Very economically roduced. Such paper products may'also be employed not only for the manufacture of pie plates, etc, but also for the manufacture of cups,- in fact for the manufacture of anything for which such products may be found to be'su'itable. Like advantages also result from the use of the compositions in which boric acid is employed for the treatment" of fabrics of the character indicated. and also paper products.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentisz' 1. A composition products of cellulosic sheetmaterial consisting of approximately one quart of liquid silicate of soda of a density of about 40 Baum, approximately forty-six grams of 'tungstate of soda and a stabilizing substance in requisite quantity all in solution in ap proximatelyjwo gallons of water.

2. A composition for the treatment of plod nets of cellulosic sheet material consisting of sodium carbonate, silicate of soda and tungstate of soda in the proportions of one quart of liquid silicate of soda of a density of about 40 B'., forty-six grams of tungstate of soda and seventy-two grams of sodium carbonate to two gallons 'more or less of water, the said first named ingredients being dissolved in said water.

3. The method of producing a composition which is adapted for the treatment of products of organic material to render the same fire-proof which consists in heating approximately two gallons of water to a temperature of from one hundred and eighty to hundred degrees Fahrenheit, dissolving therein approximately one quart of silicate of soda 1 and approximately forty-six grams of tungstate of soda and thereafter adding to the solution thus formed a soluble chemical material which operates as a stabilizing agent to prevent gelatinization of the composition during its use in the treatment of such prodnets.

4. The method of producinga composition which is adapted for the treatment of prodnets of organic material to render the same fire-proof which consists in heating a suitable volume of water to a temperature of from one hundred and eighty to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit and adding thereto sodium carbonate and stirring until the latter is completely dissolved, during which period the temperature of the water is reduced to about one hundred and sixty degrees Fahrenheit, then slowly introducing into the sodium carbonate solution silicate of soda, simultaneously stirring the same and continuing to stir the same until the solution becomes clear and thereafter adding tungstate of soda slowly and stirring until complete solution thereof is effected and the mass becomes clear.

5. The method of treating sheets of cellulostic material to stiffen and render the same fire-proof which consists in heating a suitable volume of water to a temperature of from one hundred and eighty to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit, dissolving sodium carbonate therein, thereafter introducing sodium silicate into the solution thus formed and dissolving the same therein, thereafter introducing tungstate of soda into the last named solution and stirring the mass until complete solution is effected, thereafter placing the composition thus formed in a suitable container and maintaining the same at a temperature of about one hundred and ninety degrees Fahrenheit and submerging a sheet of said cellulosic material therein for a short period of time.

In testimony that I claim the foregolng as my invention, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of December, A. D., 1924.

CHARLES R. FELIX.

GERTIFICATE {or conancrlou.

Patent No. I 1, 643, 1116.

Granted September 20, 1927, to

" CHAES R. FELIX.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1 line 8, for the misspelled word "desireable" read "desirable"; page 2, line 44, tor the word "compound" read "composition"; page 3, line 13, claim 3, after the word "to" insert the word "two"; same page, lines 42 and 43, claim 5, for the misspelled word "cellulosticf read "cellulosic'l; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform "to the record of the case in the Patent Off ice.

I Signed and sealed this 20th day of December, A. D. 1927.

seal.

M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

